On Branding Myself

Before you ask, no I'm not talking about taking a hot poker and burning a design into my skin. I like tattoos--obviously, since I've got several of my own, but I draw the line at burning my flesh. 

What I am talking about is #mywana.

The other day I read We Are Not Alone: The Writer's Guide to Social Media, an amazing little read by the Social Media Maven, Kristen Lamb .

Of course, reading this has caused me nothing but grief.

Okay, maybe not grief.

 It is after all, an amazing book, full of insight and knowledge that anyone looking to make use of social media such as Twitter, Facebook, and (gasp!) the dinosaur known as Myspace, should purchase, read, and use wisely.

In WANA, Kristen makes sure you know you are never alone during your journey toward social media excellence, and I learned so much from reading her words. 

First, being that I've been going about this blogging thing all wrong.

I've got to brand myself.

Just do it.

Sure, that's been taken already, but I was smart enough to take R.S. Emeline a year ago.

I did that much right at least.

I branded a name. The name that will go on my books, and the name that is attached to my twitter account so everyone who follows me or sees my tweets will associate the awesome words with R.S. Emeline.

Now of course, there is more to do.

I've been blogging daily for a while now, and there have been times where the blogs were good, and others when the posts were only so-so.  I want to change that.

I haven't settled on whether I'm going to be a Young Adult author, or a Romantic Suspense author. Sometimes I think I'd like to be a writer like Meg Cabot, or maybe Nicholas Sparks.

Regardless of what genre I choose or chooses me, one thing Kristen recommends is writing subject focused blog posts. This also means I'll be working on quality, not quantity. It's likely I won't be posting daily anymore, but expect to see posts once or twice a week.

As always, if something happens that I find amusing or interesting, I'll post those tidbits as well, but it's time to focus my writing and my priorities for social media.

I'm a writer.

I'm an author.

Hear my warrior yell.

R.S.

If you're confused by social media, or want to get more bang for your tweet, check out Kristen Lamb's Warrior Writer's Blog. You won't regret it. You'll laugh, you'll smile, and you might realize social media is something you can make work for you. :)

On A Thank You

I haven't had a lot of time recently to peruse blogs, or even to check out the blogs of my newest followers.

I promise I will...

Just as soon as my brain stops leaking out my ears.

Until then, I want to thank all the new followers of this Fictzophrenic's Musings.

 Seeing your smiling faces--or linked handles (whatever the case may be) makes me incredibly happy.

It's a big relief to know I'm not really talking to myself.

Anymore than usual anyway.

If this is your first time visiting, please feel free to follow along.

You might even find something you can relate to.

Let's pretend I have use of the 'Force'-- Now, You want to follow me on twitter--where I in turn follow some truly amazing people.

Take a few moments to check out my twitter profile, send me a tweet--and we'll catch up.

Until my brain gels.

R.S.

On Things I Need.

There are very few things in life I feel like I need in order to be happy. Maybe not survive and be healthy (food, water, air, exercise, etc), but to survive emotionally.

• Snuggles, hugs, and smooches from the Munchkin.
• The sound of the Marine's voice, and the feel of his arms wrapped around me.
• Music
• A good book or a dozen.
• Access to chocolate whenever I need it.

Yep, I'm pretty simple. I don't need a lot of things, or a lot of people. 

A fact that is hard for many people to understand. 

The Marine included.

I've never been a person interested in having a large group of 'friends'. In fact I'm of the belief you can't really be 'friends' with that many people. Friendly, yes. Acquaintances, yes. "Friends", no. 

In order to truly be a friend you need to dedicate time and emotion to them. You need to know who they are deep inside and in return you need to share yourself with them. 

I'm not interested in doing that with every person I meet, or every person my friends meet.

I'm not going to become more than 'friendly' with people if I don't have the time needed to be a true friend. 

I take my friendships seriously. 

I don't split my time, and I'm not a fair weather friend. I'll be there for them through thick and thin, and give them 100 percent of my time and attention when they need it.

When I'm with my friends, I'm theirs. I'm not attached to my phone texting everyone else. I'm not checking my twitter account, or chatting on IM with the friends not with me. 

I find it rude, and to be honest, uncaring. 

The Tweeps can wait. They'll understand, and if they don't... well... too bad. 

Call me selfish if you want, but I call it being a good friend. 

It brings to mind the quote that runs rampant on Facebook. "Don't make someone a priority when you're just an option."

I've been the option before, and as an adult I don't have to be. 

I won't be.

The Marine is always trying to get me to become friends with other Marine wives. 

I'm not interested.

My 'dance card' is all full.

I've got what I need. 

A wonderful husband who loves me.

A beautiful daughter I get to see everyday, and watch grow up into a beautiful and strong little girl.

And a small handful of friends who I share the hidden parts of myself with. 

R.S.

On Guest Blog from J.T. Selene

Recently, I've been weighing the ideal childhood. I've thought about my life as a child, and the lives of the children around me. What would make their life better? What would make it worse? Will they look back and regret their youthful years? Or will those years be filled with laughter and joy? Beyond those musings, I suppose my greatest curiosity is what I would consider to be a good childhood.

As a child, my life's watermarks were far from happy times. They were made of hardships, sadness, and anger. They were made of emotions no child should have to deal with. The watermarks were made of life-long battles and annual tears. Superficially, I would say this is no childhood anyone should experience. I would say it was a childhood made to drag down the weak and build up the strong. The after-affects of such a childhood would depend on the individual.

When I weigh these difficulties of the past, I also consider the good moments—the laughter, the smiles, the giggles, and the tickles. I think about those who made a difference in my life. In one way or another, they caused some of the happiness I experienced. When I weigh the difficulties, I meditate on the easy moments. I become conscious in the good and the bad. I needed both of these to make it to the present.

Knowing this, I ask myself, was it a good childhood? Was it the best I could have had?

To the first question, I answer “no”. It was not a good childhood. In fact, it was far from “good”. It was borderline “bad”. There were cherish-able memories;but for every positive, there were two negatives. On the same note, however, it was the best I could have had. Without it, I would never be strong. I would have never beaten my naïve idealism. If I had a different childhood, my current life would have changed as well. If I had the “ideal” childhood, I may not be my ideal individual.

In this way, I consider a good childhood to be one that creates a beneficial individual to society and to oneself. Without the downfalls, there would be no lessons learned. Without the perks, there would be no motivation through the hardships. They go hand-in-hand, these “good times” and “bad times”. They create a childhood, and they create the person.

Whether or not there are regrets in the end is up to the individual. It's based on outlooks and worldviews. Things could be better, but they could also be worse. We are where we are. If things were meant to be different, maybe they would be. If we want to be in another spot in life, it is up to us to get us there. It has very little to do with childhood and very much to do with self-creation and motivation.

I believe our childhoods are our building blocks, but we are our foundation. In the end, “we” is all “we” have. I am all I have. You are all you have. Everyone dies alone and lives together. Our childhood merely gives us the start. It is up to us to finish.  

Follow J.T. Selene on Twitter

Catch J.T. Selene blogging at Opinions, Thoughts, and Shot Glasses. She blogs about life, family, and her observations on the human condition. If you stick around a while, you might even be offered a drink. 

On the Twitterlution

Tweet! Tweet!

Awww, now isn't that cute??

For those of you who don't recognize the happy blue bird holding the 'follow me!' sign, he's the cartoonized mascot of the ever growing, ever popular, and to me at least, ever confusing Twitter.com-- or Twitter as those in 'the know' call it.

I've been trying to get a handle on all the facets of Social Media, and I'm pretty sure each of them will end up with their own WTH?! blog post.

Today's is obviously Twitter, and its status updates known universally as 'Tweets'. Now as I stated in my self-promotion post, I'm trying to get my name, and thereby my work, out 'there'. Apparently the only way to do that is by becoming not only a member of Twitter, but actually becoming a actively productive member of the 'Twitterverse'.

I get that it's similar to blogging, and to the status updates on Facebook (more on FB in a later post), but seriously, don't I spend enough time talking to myself without having to add another site and/or app on my phone?

On top of that, I currently have a whopping 10 followers, and some of those I think set it up to automatically follow me when I followed them. At least, I think that's the case. I don't really know, and I haven't actually found a helpful site to answer my questions.

Questions like: How do I get more followers, and Why doesn't anyone respond to my 'tweets'?

Of course, if I have followers I'll have to actually tweet, and that is one more responsibility heaped onto my already towering plate o' responsibilities.

Gotta love being an adult.

If anyone has any suggestions for how to go about finding my 'twitter groove' in this new and confusing world where everyone is a member of twitter including my OBGYN, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Maybe it isn't too late to get involved in the  'Twitterlution'.

Now, Go 'Follow me!'!

R.S.